


He Who Lifted Us All

by FudgingPastry



Series: That God AU [12]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Sburb/Sgrub Sessions, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26679376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FudgingPastry/pseuds/FudgingPastry
Summary: A short ficlet from Dave's perspective as he wanders the city. He considers the Muse and the exchange between the gods and the people from the past.
Series: That God AU [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/214718
Kudos: 1





	He Who Lifted Us All

**Author's Note:**

> I've been trying to get back into this series since I found my old fics on it and reread them all. The song Dave is humming is "We All Lift Together" from Warframe, though the Longest Johns' cover of it was what inspired this fic.
> 
> Katisk is Beforus Gamzee and the name belongs to littlebbredbird. The name is used with permission.

Dave hummed as he walked the streets, his head bobbing in time to the song that had been stuck in his head for literally millennia. He didn't remember when he first heard it; it was hard enough keeping track of when he had been that long ago. He cracked his eyes briefly, just to make sure he wasn't going to run into something.

Satisfied, he closed them again. The sound of rain dripped around him. It was gentle in the city, even with it full of hard planes and surfaces. If he concentrated long enough, he could hear the hearts of those around him, ticking ticking ticking. Each pulse, a second. Each breath, another hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, the sun would still rise tomorrow. Hope, that maybe, just maybe, the rain would one day stop.

Hope that maybe, just maybe, this world wasn't so cruel after all.

Dave, for all he had seen, still felt that hope. Deep inside, his hope remained. And, sometimes, on nights like these, his hope would spill out into a tune. A tune from long ago. A tune from the beginning, the very beginning. A tune that promised strength, unity, even for simple workers sowing the fields. Their work, never forgotten. The people had an agreement with the great gods of sea and sky and land, that their work would be remembered.

Aradia explained once, that it was an exchange. The followers would work hard and offer a portion of their work to the gods. And, in return, the gods would bless them and grant bounties. It was an  _ exchange _ .

With open eyes, Dave wondered when that exchange changed its stakes. 

He didn't see the body on the ground until he nearly passed it. They shivered, soaked to the bone and Dave, with all his hope, crouched and reached out. The woman turned at his touch, desperation in her eyes. She was so thin. In the darkness and the silence, he revealed himself to her. There was little to reveal, he thoughts, so when she gasped in surprise and her eyes widened, Dave felt almost the same as her.

"I know you," she said, hardly a whisper. Her voice cracked and her breathing bubbled. She was sick and cold and worsening by the hour.

"Can I help you, sister?" He asked, just as quiet. She didn't deny him and his hand glowed red. The red gears of his motifs clicked in time with her heart and concentrated on his task. Lungs were delicate and one tick too far or too late would mean the end of her. He didn't remove the sickness. He couldn't. Life was not his power to wield nor would its magic need his call. But he ticked back to when her lungs were fresh and free. She groaned in pain and reached at his feet.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, but this is all I can do," he apologized, a foot still tapping to the beat in his head. When his task was complete, the motifs faded and his hand dropped to her shoulder. She breathed deeply and gasped. There was no bubbling, no sickness to be found, and she wept at his feet.

"I'll bless you sister, with the blessings given to me by my own kind." A gear appeared at her forehead, one only he and the others like him could see. "All of time will welcome you, all space will know your presence, and will accept you. You need no longer fear the night and the cold and the damp. Time will shelter you for all the time the Muse watches over you."

The woman thanked him over and over, even as he helped her up, and helped her to a shelter that would keep her dry. Dave saw the followers of Space and they knew him for who he was. They took the woman in and Dave, for all he didn't need anyone's worship, still felt energized when his praises were sung inside.

Maybe, just maybe, this world wasn't so cruel after all.

Dave turned and continued his walk. The night was growing and he felt safe enough. From his mouth spilled the song, steady and gentle and warm. It seemed to ease some of the darkness, to breathe life back into the world.

This time, he knew the body that walked towards him, past him as he sang. His tone changed, his anger flowing out at the cruelty in the world, centered on the one who passed him.

Katisk stopped. Dave stopped in time, the song fading from his lips. The god of life and death turned back, a strange sort of desperation on his face.

"Where did you hear that?" He asked, his voice not his own. It was deeper, older, surprised. 

Dave shrugged and closed his eyes. His next breath, he felt the Muse give him words, an explanation for them both. "Kekara still sings it to Her."


End file.
